Nourishing Winter Harvest and Sea Broth (vegan)

As soon as the temp drops below 60 Fahrenheit my body craves warm foods and drinks. That’s why when the bone broth craze hit, I swapped my morning tea and coffee for a cup of the collagen-filled golden broth during the winter months. Drinking bone broth first thing in the morning warmed and nourished my body — and soul— and over time my skin started to glow, I felt rejuvenated and it quickly became a part of my morning ritual. 

So naturally, now that the temperature in NYC has dipped into the 40s and 50s, the thirst for bone broth is real. Except one small detail — I gave up meat over a month ago (up until Thanksgiving). With animal protein out of my diet, I wanted to make a vegetarian broth that’s just as nutrient dense as its bone broth cousin. This broth is made with hearty vegetables and seaweed that’s packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients making it a powerful gut-healing broth without the bones. It’s delicious sipped warm straight from a mug and makes a perfect base for soups, stews, or any recipe that calls for broth.

I decided on the slow cooker because I’m all about making life easier. All you have to do is rinse and chop your vegetables, place them in the slow cooker and you’re free to do whatever you want for the next 7-8 hours as your broth cooks for 7-8 hours. 

Lets talk about seaweed. Sea vegetables like combo and wakame, which are used in this recipe, are incredibly nutritious, high in protective antioxidants and rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese and vitamins. Seaweed is also high in iodine which many of us are highly deficient in. Iodine supports thyroid function as well as breast health. Since seaweed is high in fiber, it’s also healing for the gut. 

Keep in mind, you don’t need to follow this recipe by the book. This broth is completely customizable so feel free to add whatever vegetables and leftover leafy greens and stalks you have to the pot and choose the herbs and spices that you like most. 

Hope you enjoy this comforting broth as much as I do!

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb, halved

1 yellow onion, halved

1 large leek, halved and rinsed

4-6 celery ribs, chopped 

4-6 carrots, chopped into large pieces

2 cups leafy greens like kale or collards

1 sweet potato, rinsed and cut into thick pieces

1 cup mushrooms (can use a mixture)

4 tbsp wakame seaweed

1 large piece kombu seaweed

2-4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into slices

2 inch piece of turmeric, peeled and cut in half

6-8 garlic cloves

Fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme, cilantro, dill)

1-2 bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp whole cloves 

1 tbsp whole peppercorns 

4 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos

14 cups filtered water 

Instructions

1. Rinse and chop all vegetables.

2. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cover with water.

3. Cook on high for 7-8 hours.

4. Remove the solids using a slotted spoon and strain the broth into a bowl.

5. Pour the strained liquid into mason jars.

6. Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to a year.